Unspeakable Joy  Sunday, December 16, 2012

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It's kind of hard to speak of unspeakable joy this week.  The joy that we are supposed to have as Christians has been attacked by the events which have taken place in our nation.  Shooting in Connecticut along with another horrible incident in my small county in Tennessee.  How are we supposed to have this joy that Christmas and Christ promises? 

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Happiness and joy are two separate things.  Happiness depends on our circumstances.  And when we think of the tragedies at Sandy Hook and Happy Valley, we surely can't be happy.  It's heart wrenching.

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Joy however comes from deep within.  It is not necessarily an emotion but more of a deep settled truth.  If you know Christ, that's true joy.  It's the satisfaction that, even when our world is caving in, we have the knowledge of the truth of God's forgiveness.

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My heart breaks for the families which are hurting this evening.  My heart has been broken before when the pain of my own personal circumstances are at my front door.  But true joy is knowing the truth of God's love and letting that truth set me free to have His joy, even through the tears.

May you have a "joyful" Christmas!